Torque-release wrench



11111.24, 1956 J. w. DAMES e1-AL 2,731,864

TORQUE-RELEASE WRENCH Filed Jan. 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 24, 1956 J. w. DAvn-:s nAL TORQUE-RELEASE WRENCH Filed Jan. 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patenti() ee 731,864

Patented Jan. 24, 1956 at 14 to provide a flat, circular area at this point. In assembling the two discs into their proper seating posi- 2 731 864 tion upon their respective seats, they are seated with their circumference areas abutting their respective seats and TRQUE-RELEASE WRENCH with their central, llat areas abutting each other. This John W Davies Roseland Martin L Kapin Roselle, forms a spring-like convex-concave structure between the -h 0 J.. a'd Ka in plates 10 and 11. n ggg Xighgh Issggtgrslztlogvs s l p An adjustable housing for discs 12 and 13, parts 2 and 5, and plates and 11 is provided by ahollow, open- APPICMH January 8s 1954s Serial No' 402,921 l0 ended collar member 15 having an internally-threaded orton 16, a shoulder-engaging portion 17, and an aper- 1 Clam" (CL 81-52'4) iure is. This member 17's is siipped over the handle member 4 until its area 17 engages the Vshoulder of the enlarged portion S of the handle -4. An externally- My invention relates to an adjustment tool for Fordothreaded spanner nut 19 is then slipped over the shank mat-ic and Mercomatic front servo bands, and has for its 1 of theV tool into engagement `with the threaded porprimar Y PUTPOSe t0 Provide a i001 0f this-Character which tion 16 of housing 15, and is tightened against .the shoul- S Cheap l0 manufacture, Sturdy in CODSYUCOU, Simple der 7 of the enlarged area 2 of the shank 1. It will be t0 Operate, and at the Same time accurate in performing seen from this construction that the shaft 1 and the hanits special purpose. Heretofore tools of this nature have dle 4 have been permanently joined by a resilient eeubeen complicated in construction and inaccurate in perpling construction capable of axial adjustment simply by fOrmanCe due l0 the aWkWald method employed t0 aCCU- manipulating nut 19 to compress, more or less, the spring rately set torque and operate the tool. In my improved discs 12 and 13, tool I have incorporated advantageous novel features Rotation of the handle 4 causes the entire structure hereOfOre Unknown and haVe eliminated all 0f the faults 25 to rotate, However, if there is enough restraining torque of the past prior art encountered 1n tools of this nature on shaft 1, the handle will rotate without rotating the Having hUS Set fOfh the advantages 0f my new adiUSiIlg shaft 1, due to slippage of adjacent parts of the springtool, attention is now called to the drawing and specilicacoupling construction because of insufficient friction-grip tion in which like characters refer to like parts. of the shoulders 2 and 5 The amount of grip corre-` Fig. l represents apreferred form of my improved tool, sponds directly with the extent to which discs 12 and shown in position to adjust a front servo band. 13 are compressed by adjustment of nut 19. It will thus Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through my improved be seen that by adjusting the Spanner nut the tool may tool. be set to any torque-setting desired, which in the case Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. of the front servo band adjustment, will require a torque- Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 in Fig. 2. 35 setting of l0 inch-lbs. Tn Figs 8 and 9 I have shown Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2. modified forms of compression units, that shown in Fig. Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 in Fig. 1. 8 being in the form of a solid rubber-like pad 20 and Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the wear discs incorthat shown in Fig. 9 being a coil spring 21. To assure a porated in my improved tool. correct spacing between the servo adjusting screw and the Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary elevations, partly in 40 coacting rod, a gauge block 22 may be fastened to the section and showing, respectively, two modifications of tool by any suitable flexible means such as a chain 23 my improved torque-setting unit incorporated in my imand a collar 24 force-litted about the lower end of the proved tool, and shank 1. This collar may extend slightly below the end Fig. l0 illustrates the method used to release the lockof the shank 1 to provide a keeper so that in use the nut of the servo adjusting screw. tool, as shown in Fig. l, will not slip olf the end of the Referring now in detail to the drawing, my improved adjusting screw. tool T comprises a shank or tool member 1 having at its In order to permit the tool to be quickly adjusted to upper end an enlarged, disc-like head 2 and being prothe proper inch-pounds, the Spanner nut 19 is provided vided at its opposite end with a screw-engaging portion 3 with graduations 19 which, by calibration, show the adapted, as shown in Fig. l, to engage the outer end of amount of compression produced within the spring couthe adjusting screw of the servo band. pling,

Co-acting with the shank member 1 and in vertical In using tool T it is important, first, to set it for the axial alignment therewith is a cylindrical handle member correct torque. In the case of the so-called Fordomatic 4 provided at its lower end with a disc-like enlargement and Mercomatic front servo bands, mit i9 is turned one way or the other, until the scale 19 shows a setting for shank 1. Both the enlarged head 2 of the shank 1 and ten inch-pounds. The o' il is drained, and the pan iethe disc-like enlargement 5 of the handle member 4 serve moved The tool is now applied to the adjustment screw a double purpose, to wit, to provide a flat, seat aiea 6 as shown in Fig l and the screw held against rotary and a shoulder area 7 on the shank 1 and a iiat seat movement while the associated lock nut is loosened The area S and a shoulder area 9 on the handle member 4. 60 adjustment screw is now backed off a little. As is also The purpose of these seat and shoulder areas will later shown in Fig. l, the quarter-inch gauge block or spacci appear. Seated upon the seat area 6 is a wear plate 10, 22 is now placed between the servo lever and the servo equal in outside diameter to the outside diameter of the stern release means slips. By his sense of touch, the mechanic knows when this happens and then backs olf the `screw side diameter to the outside diameter of the seats 6 and one complete turn. The correct setting has been made, 8 and the Wear plates 10 and 11. Discs 12 and 13 areV so the screw is held against rotary movement and the identical to each other. The center area of each disc is lock nut is tightened. The pan is now replaced In offset with respect to the outer circumference of the disc making the setting as just explained the mechanic takes to produce a attened, cone-like member of thin, spring steel. The center of each disc is cut away as indicated setting of nut 19, since any downward pressure on handle 4 would diminish the pressure at 8 and 9 and increase the pressure at 6 and 7. In such case, these changes in pressure might not compensate for each other.

The various forms of clutch means shown in Figs. 2, S and 9, respectively, for a predetermined ltorque-release, are similar to those shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 402,922, tiled January 8, 1954.

The three forms of torque-release means disclosed in Figs. 2, 8 and 9 are similar, respectively, to those shown in Figs. 4, 9 and 10 of my copending application Serial ANo. 402,922.

What l claim is:

In a torque-release wrench of the character described, a tool member and a handle member held and coupled together in aligned and longitudinally-spaced relation with respect to each other, said members being provided at the respective adjacent ends thereof with similar circular ilanges, and coupling means holding said members in aligned and longitudinally-spaced relation and for rotation relatively With respect to each other about their common axis; said coupling means comprising a cupshaped and cylindrically-shaped housing fitted loosely on said handle member and engaging said flange thereof, a

nut fitted loosely on said tool member and threaded into the open end of said housing and engaging said angc of said tool member, circular plates disposed between said flanges and Within said housing and having a loose it with respect to the latter, one of said plates being ush with and engaging one of said anges, one of said plates being ush with and engaging the other of said flanges, and resilient means disposed between said plates and compressed between the same to a degree suiricient to maintain a condition Whereat said plates are pressed firmly against the respective adjacent faces of said anges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,253,398 Lewis Ian. 15, 1918 1,433,590 Zeigler Oct. 31, 1922 1,985,916 Coates et al. Jan. 1, 1935 2,411,600 Spase Nov. 26, 1946 2,429,561 Miller Oct. 21, 1947 2,576,069 Hoag et al. Nov. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 703,769 Germany Mar. 15, 1941 884,780 Germany July 30, 1953 

